A path that alternates tarmac with dirt roads, which is perfect for those who want to enjoy their time in nature and travel at a slow pace, plunging into the greenery.
The Via del Sale partly retraces an old path dating back to the Etruscan era, which was intended for the transport of salt, which starting from the sea in Cecina reached Siena passing through the Saline di Volterra and Monteguidi.
An itinerary of rare beauty that unfolds in a wonderful mosaic of villages, fortresses, castles, and medieval parish churches alternated with green oases, wild vegetation, wooded areas and a rich variety of wildlife.
A ring route starting from Casole D’Elsa to head towards Volterra on a first stretch of tarmac roadway which alternates holm oaks with Mediterranean scrub and strawberry trees that invite you to stop by, when in picking season.
Accessing the dirt road to enter the Nature Reserve of Berignone, you cross the Dispensa di Tappi, to continue, leaving the Boulder of the Maidens on the right, an ideal stop on summer days to cool off in the crystalline waters of the river Cecina. The Bishop’s Castle, also known as ‘Torraccia’, stands out on the left.
The Bishop’s Castle, always a stronghold and residence of the Bishops of Volterra, used to mint coin, but was also a refuge in the long struggle against the Municipality.
Continuing along the old tarmac paving, still evident in some of the most evocative routes, you can cross the river Cecina and go up towards Monteguidi, where you traverse many small farms which today have become farmhouses and producers of wine of value.
Monteguidi and nearby Mensano are small, charming, and authentic villages that are worth a stop, going back on the tarmac road and riding on a shared path that contains a lot of Tuscany postcard scenery in a few kilometres: from vineyards with wonderful farmhouses, to the avenues of cypresses and olive groves. The farms you encounter offer the opportunity to stop over in order to taste organic products. Now the road will go downhill, broadening your view on the sweet hills facing you. One last climb with some hairpin bends returns you to Casole d’Elsa, in order to explore the three main avenues: that of the artists’ workshops, the central avenue with its cafes and restaurants, and the avenue with the village baker and oil mill, still in operation and easily identifiable by the scent you can smell even behind closed doors.
A route designed and created by Terre di Casole Bike Hub to enhance the great biodiversity enclosed in the nature reserves with wildlife-rich woodlands.
Terre di Casole Bike Hub is the first bike hub in Italy and is the cycling destination in the heart of Tuscany, as part of the ‘Strade di Siena’. The essence of the ‘Terre di Casole Bike Hub’ is expressed by Bike, Eat ,Live, three words to describe the lifestyle adopted by all guests.
An award-winning cycling destination which is able to deliver personalised experiences, thanks to a group of people supporting sustainable tourism.